To Say Goodbye
by Yaminoko-Jeichan
Summary: COMPLETED: A Hiei and Kurama story, takes place after the end of the show where everyone is going on with their lives, and Hiei has just returned from the demon realm. Rated for later chapters.
1. Nothing Ever Stays the Same

Chapter one:

Silently, staring at the starry blackened sky, his cloak billowing in the quiet strong blowing wind, as did his pitch black spiky hair, he waited—waited for what he didn't know, but there was some reason to wait—there was always a reason to wait. And wait he did, years had past since he first felt compelled by some invisible force calling to him to stand in wait, his own personal quests always pulling him away from that force during the day, but each night it pulled strong on him and so he'd wait. Before the force compelled him into an obsession—as though every nerve and sinew within him boiled with the desire to wait, but now it was merely habit—a long run, worn out habit nothing more and nothing less.

"Meaningless." He whispered voicing the conscious thought into the night, red eyes glaring neutrally at the sky closing once as he focused his attention on other things—these nighttime waits never lasted more than five minutes anymore.

"So what is it that you wait for?" A curious voice asked a few feet behind him—surprising him only with the precise words spoken, not by its presence, which he had sensed for the past minute.

"Waiting? I'm not waiting for anything."

"Not waiting? So what were you doing just gazing into the distance with no reason whatsoever? That's not like you, Hiei." The voice chuckled while green eyes gazed at the short stature fire-demon standing silent, growling at him, eyes narrowed. "No need to bristle or get defensive, Hiei, though you were gone for the longest time in the demon realm."

"Did you miss me, fox?" Hiei stared intently into those green eyes not flickering once even though he wished to gaze at the soft, red hair of their owner. "Well?"

"Hiei, you've been gone three years." Was the reply, simple but not answering the question, which Hiei needed answered, the look in his eyes told the green eyed, red haired demon so. "Yes, I have missed you, we all have."

"But you didn't wait."

"I did wait, but it's been three years, nothing stays the same even though you may wish it would." Kurama whispered, shifting his gaze to the sky, sighing deeply, his eyes slightly glistening in the moonlight. "Nothing ever stays the same. Nothing."

"Hn." Hiei turned his gaze from Kurama's eyes and face to his hair, which used to fall elegantly past his shoulders as graceful as the fox-demon's fighting style. "You shouldn't have cut your hair."

"Um? Yes, I look different, don't I? But I couldn't keep it that long forever—not with the life I'm living now."

"Have to look decent, don't cha? Little future med student."

"Maybe you should think about the future yourself—instead of waiting in these mountains forever you could make a new life for yourself with someone new to share it with." Kurama responded, trying to catch Hiei's eye again, but the fire-demon ignored his efforts. "You should find someone new, instead of waiting for what can't be."

"Like you did." Hiei responded, barely waiting for Kurama to finish his sentence, quiet annoyance in his tone.

"Yes."

"I don't need your advice, fox." Hiei seethed in his antisocial, annoyed way, not moving a muscle as he stared into the distance, deep in thought.

"Hiei…."

"It could've been different, fox."

"Yes, it could have."

"Why didn't you keep waiting? Did it get too boring? Too long?" Hiei asked closing his eyes again, speaking as though he had memorized and rehearsed lines for a play. "Or did your life, your precious future, displace me? Had to please that human family of yours, right? Had to be the perfect son no matter the cost, regardless of the fact you'd not be the only one paying, right?"

"Hiei…." Kurama began, hearing the undertone of bitterness in the fire-demon's voice.

"Hn. It's fine, fox. Go make your new life with her, go and forget everything in order to have your future. I won't bother you."

"Hiei, it's been three years." Kurama muttered stepping closer to the fire-demon, trying still to catch his eye but he'd gone, speeding away into the deep night. "Three years…damn it Hiei, three years!" Kurama growled into the silence, tears filling his eyes—tears he would never let fall—not again.

Clasping his hand to his left wrist, shaking as he held the tears at bay, Kurama leaned against a nearby oak tree, moving his sleeve and hand so he could study his wrist, tracing the scars with his eyes, his vision blurring.

Three years, that was how long Hiei had been gone, three years of intense longing with loneliness breeding from that unsatisfied desire, from a union unsanctioned, un-vouched for even by word. During his deepest depressions, Kurama felt that Hiei had meant no deep meaning to their relationship—he felt as though Hiei deliberately stood away as though to tell him he didn't care. Living through those dark hours of hell, believing that Hiei was doing to him what he confessed he did to others—using them until satisfied, then abandoning them without a word. Oh, how it haunted Kurama, knowing that Hiei could easily silence any such relationship into ruin by just portraying his usual demeanor and habits—oh, how quickly Hiei professed to being easily able to forget any passion, any desire for another faster than a heartbeat. Those dark hours of fear slowly dissipated any desperate hope he had of being Hiei's mate—the meager insurances he made for himself could not curb the doubt surfacing in his mind.

However, the first two times with the blade only worsened his condition since he still held that want-ful longing in his heart. That need still radiated in him, like a cancer seeping throughout his body after the second time—but the third time was what did it. The third, final time he brought the blade to his wrist released Hiei's hold on him, that third occasion brought him his closest to death since that day he incarnated into an unborn human child.

Seeing all of his loved ones faces as they rushed him to the emergency room shook him out of his blind and selfish depression—his mother, stepfather and everyone else cared about him so deeply, visiting him everyday in the hospital and talking to him in comforting deeper ways than ever before—everyone except Hiei. Even his half-brother, barely two years old, worried and visited him more than his lover, wondering why he couldn't come home and play with him anymore. That small question, the worry in his mother's eyes and the support of his friends and family touched him so deeply that he realized be shouldn't let thoughts of Hiei's abandonment rule him into forgetting his life.

However he stood in the hospital for five months unable to deal with his realization about Hiei, five full months of his life he lost in trying to hold onto a distant, unwelcoming lover who hadn't the decency to tell him the straightforward truth.

"Damn you, Hiei! All those times you could've came back, all those times you could've sent some word, some clue as to what you felt, and you wait until now? I'd give up anything for you Hiei, I'd give anything to have things as they used to be, but, damn it, I can't give up my life now, I can't…I can't stand having to go through that again." Kurama shouted into the silent night, tears spilling from his eyes and down his cheeks then onto the grass below. "I can't stand thinking you don't care." He muttered, whimpering as he made his way back to Genkai's, drying his eyes all of the way to the temple, shivering in the wind.

Meanwhile, standing on his common perch, a tree branch in a large maple tree, Hiei stared as the fox-demon staggered back to Genkai's temple, hurt deeply by Kurama's words as though he too had been cut. Those scars on his fox's wrist, he would never mention them, would never ask why—he knew why, but be couldn't bring himself to listen to those words. He wouldn't admit it out loud that he'd hurt his fox so much, but he felt it within his soul. Oh, how he wished he could express what he felt to the fox, he wished his own pride and judgment didn't block him from telling Kurama how he truly felt.

"Stupid fox, why didn't you just come for me? If you wanted me, why didn't you pursue me like you did to so many of your mates before me?" Hiei muttered, barely audible in the silence as he watched Kurama disappear into the distance, wanting to, but unable to follow him due to his own, untold hurt. "I was waiting for you to come to me, why didn't you care enough to find me? I'm always waiting." Shifting his gaze away from where his fox headed, Hiei stared into the sky again, breathing slowly, keeping all of his emotions locked away inside as he began his wait again, hoping against hope that he didn't have long to wait, but knowing that he'll be waiting forever, in silence, alone.


	2. Time Will Ease Your Pain

Chapter two:

Stepping through the sliding wood door of the mountainside temple, having placed his shoes right by the door before entering, Kurama sighed running his fingers through his short red hair—he missed having long hair but that sort of style was not proper for a serious future med student. In order to have a future in the human world Kurama made sacrifices, sacrificing his hopeless dreams in order to pursue more realistic ones. However he couldn't help wondering how things would have turned out if it had been different—wondering if him and Hiei would ever had been true mates instead of just lovers.

"Kurama, is everything all right?" A voice to his right asked, underlined with a deep reservoir of worry and wonder. After receiving a nod for an answer, the voice spoke again, wonder still in its tone. "Are you staying here tonight or going home?"

"I think I'll stay for a few minutes, Master Genkai." Kurama replied gentle and reserved in his tone as he made his way to the living room of the house.

"Three years, eh?"

"Huh?" Kurama looked back at Genkai, staring into her wise eyes then quickly averting them at her next words.

"Hiei, he's been gone for three years and now just shows up." Genkai specified then turned serious. "Is everything truly all right? I know what there was between you and Hiei, so I know you must be having a hard time now, with him just reappearing only months after…." Genkai trailed off looking for a second to Kurama's left wrist before shifting her gaze elsewhere. "If you ever need to talk I'm here to listen, remember that Kurama." Genkai turned after a brief pause toward the kitchen, no longer looking at Kurama. "I'm making some tea, if you want any help yourself."

"No, thank you. I think I should head back now, you know surprise Akiko and maybe take her out for the night." Kurama replied smiling at Genkai before turning to leave, the smile fading as he stared at the night sky.

Twenty minutes later, glancing once more at the twilight sky, walking slowly to his apartment door, Kurama sighed, opening the door to the apartment he shared with Akiko, his girlfriend of four months. Quietly slipping off his shoes and putting on a pair of house slippers, Kurama glanced once at the platform where shoes were kept not realizing at first the meaning of what he saw.

"An extra pair of shoes?" Kurama mumbled, studying the foreign objects with curiosity—brown with tan stitches, beat up looking and clearly designed for a man. He could smell the man's scent as well.

Freezing his badly up, bracing himself for what he hoped wasn't true, Kurama followed the scent through the apartment barely taking in the little, telltale signs littered about: half filled wine glasses with an open bottle of wine next to them, a table set for two candlelit with food eaten off both plates. Each new object struck him as Kurama steeled himself in his fear while the foreign masculine scent, straight to his and Akiko's bedroom clothes tossed helter-skelter along the hallway leading to the room.

Right outside the bedroom door Kurama heard them; Akiko's all too familiar moans and giggles telling him what he would find.

Opening the door violently, slamming it against the wall startling the two people entwined, naked, together on the bed, Kurama glared at them, icy blood pounding through his veins, Akiko blanched covering herself with a white sheet, her blue eyes wide, her dyed blond hair sticking wildly out every which way.

"Shu…Shu-kun…I…." Akiko began, falling silent as Kurama stormed to the man on the bed with her, his hand grabbing the stranger's throat choking him without effort. Kurama's eyes narrowed, his mouth a rigid fine line of anger as he squeezed harder on the intruder's throat, his nails pressing closer to the man's jugular.

"Shu-kun, stop! You'll kill him!" Akiko pleaded, her eyes darting from Kurama, whom she knew as Shuuichi, to the man he held in his deadly grasp. "Please let him go." Akiko's fearful eyes filled with tears—she never saw her boyfriend this angry before, it seemed as though a savage monster possessed him.

Slowly Kurama released his hold on the human, but glared at him mercilessly—silent for a few seconds but then he spoke in a harsh cruel voice foreign to his normal one.

"Leave. If I ever see you again I will kill you, now go before I change my mind about letting you leave unscathed."

"Shu-kun, you can't force my guests to leave, you…."

"Your guest! Some hospitality to show to a guest, inviting them to your room for…for entertainment." Kurama seethed glaring at Akiko feeling the anger from his Youko side consume him. "You…you sl—" Before, however, he could finish his sentence Akiko stepped up to him and slapped him across the face, anger on her face mirroring Kurama's rage.

"Don't, don't you dare finish that sentence, don't you dare! After all I did for you, don't you dare call me that!"

Kurama, face turned away after the slap, growled listening to Akiko's words, anger rising up in him. "You? What did you do for me that's so special?" He seethed, forcing himself to remain staring at the wall away from her.

"I stood by you, that's what; I stood by you in the hospital—sacrificing my time to help you get better! I…."

"So did every single other girl from school."

"I was the only one to keep visiting you everyday for the full five months, don't you remember how much time…."

"Remember! Don't you remember those times? You promised me you'd stay with me. You promised but I see now that you're just a lying, manipulative bit—" Another slap to his face cut off his words, and this time he stood silent, never looking anywhere but at the wall, avoiding Akiko's eyes.

"Don't you dare accuse me when every night you're off at some friend's house doing who knows what! You never come home until midnight and sometimes stay away the whole night without telling me! I hate you Shuuichi Minamino, I hate you!" Akiko screamed trying to force Kurama to look at her, her face red from anger and shouting. Silence lasted for what seemed forever before Kurama turned, glanced once at Akiko then left the room, leaving the apartment in unending silence.

Aimlessly Kurama wandered the busy streets of the city, his exterior steeled against betraying any of the emotions inside him. What was he to do now? Akiko had been beside him throughout his crisis those five months—their relationship had progressed fast, becoming live-in lovers in just four months after his release, but now he could never go back to her—and Hiei wouldn't bother with him now, knowing he'd been with a human. Kurama felt sure he couldn't face Hiei now anyway, but he needed someone who would listen—but Genkai's was too far away and some of the others may be there—he couldn't stand to see their looks of worry if they saw him so distraught. No, he couldn't bear hurting them again with his selfish emotions nor could his prideful Youko side stand to fall into their debt again—he still hadn't paid them back for the last time they'd comforted him and saved him from death.

"Hey! Stop!" A voice yelled behind him strangely distant, but familiar in a way, however he ignored it and continued walking. He hardly stepped another inch when dainty but strong arms pulled him back just before a car zoomed by where he had almost stepped. "You dunderhead, were you trying to kill yourself? That car would've flattened you."

"Ah…oh, thank you, I was distracted, sorry." Kurama replied, surprised at how close that had been.

"That's apparent. What are you doing around here so late anyway?" The voice spoke curious, pausing shortly before speaking again. "Hey…I know you, you're Shuuichi Minamino! Do you remember me; I was in your class during eighth grade. I'm Hinansho Kakusareta, good to see you again." The voice, Hinansho's, spoke happily booming as he moved to stare into Kurama's green eyes with his matching ones.

"Hinansho? Yes, I remember you, you used to be all-quiet and shy around me. I see the years have changed you, personality-wise anyway." Kurama spoke hiding his anguish behind cheerful words of reminiscing.

"Actually no. I was always this way, most of the time anyway."

"Then why did you refuse to speak whenever I tried to make conversation during that year we were in the same class?"

"Well…actually, that was…that was because I liked you…you know, _that _way…." Hinansho replied blushing scarlet as Kurama stared at him surprised in awe. "But I'm a guy and I didn't know if you went that way. I barely understood my feelings myself that year so I didn't think you would either."

"Well, that's a surprise. I used to think you were jealous 'cause most of the girls liked me, I never thought…."

"Yeah well now you know…and well…I still do like you. But I'll understand if you don't, I'm certain a lady-killer like you doesn't go for guys so…." Hinansho rambled on, walking beside Kurama as he spoke, stopping in front of a lighted storefront when Kurama did, looking at him with an interested look in his eyes.

"Actually, Hinansho, I'm not solely into girls if you must know. And I'm technically single at the moment and the night's young so…how about we hang out together for a while, we can go wherever you wish."

"You mean it? As a date?"

"Yes, I suppose so." Kurama smiled looking into those excited green eyes accented by locks of deep black hair framing Hinansho's face. _Well anything to forget the present,_ Kurama thought, walking again down the sidewalk Hinansho leading the way. _What do you know; maybe time will ease my pain after all._

Meanwhile, watching them from a block away, concealed in the shadows, Hiei studied the pair silently wondering what would've happened if he'd got there a few seconds earlier and had been the one to stop Kurama from getting hit by that car.

_Hn, what is he searching for with these humans? I can give him more than they can. Much more._


	3. What You Take for Granted

Chapter three:

A week later, during the bright shining hours of a summer's day, Kurama moved all of his things into Hinansho's apartment, all too willing to forget the past and focus on the present—so far he told no one about him moving in with another guy, all anyone knew was that he and Akiko had broken up. During the week after Kurama ran into Hinansho he had told Hinansho everything about his life and prior relationships—Hinansho listened intently as Kurama told him all about him being a demon, about how he came to live as a human and about his work for the Spirit World. Hinansho found it surprising to a point, but he was not as shocked as Kurama thought he would be.

"Somehow I knew you were different, Shuuichi, I didn't know how, but I could sense you weren't like the others. I mean, you were the only person I was ever attracted to, male or female. It was like it was destiny, you know?"

"Wha…right." Kurama replied after telling Hinansho about him being a demon, his gaze flitting from Hinansho's face to the sky absentmindedly while Hinansho looked at him intensely curious. However, Hinansho kept silent not knowing if what was bothering him was something Kurama wanted to talk about, he kept silent about many things.

Meanwhile, as Kurama lugged his suitcases into Hinansho's apartment, Hiei, who was in the mountains around Genkai's, stood on the bank of a river, right at the edge where it turned into a waterfall in deep thought. He knew about Kurama's new friend Hinansho and was highly suspicious that they were lovers or would soon become so. However, he still waited, still waited for the right time, which never seemed to come.

Silently Hiei stared at the rushing river water shining brightly as the sunlight shined down on its surface in intense concentration not moving a muscle. Suddenly, snapping like a viper at the water, Hiei plunged his hand through the water's surface and grabbed a squirming fish with his right hand, pulling it out of the water and tossing it onto the riverbank shore. After catching two more fish, Hiei used his fire-demon powers to heat them up, eating them even before they cooled down, some parts of them burnt, but Hiei did not care—being used to his own cooking the taste of the fish did not matter. Besides, his thoughts were not on food as he ate, they were on memories of this riverbank three years ago.

Three years ago, at this same clear blue river, Hiei and Kurama had first become lovers, consummating their union on the green bank under an early summer sun. Hiei could still feel the touch of Kurama's lips on his, moist, tenderly soft lips that kissed him all over, causing his skin to tingle with pleasure. Lying on the deep green grass cooled from the closeness of the river water, Hiei remembered all the feelings and sensations that day, moving his hand to his lips then under his cloak imagining that it was Kurama's soft, sweet scented, delicate hand.

"Fox." Hiei moaned, closing his eyes, remembering that day, how Kurama had kissed him gently yet passionately all over, leading down his chest as Hiei caressed Kurama's long, red locks of hair. Moving his hand to touch Kurama's face, Hiei had brought the fox-demon's lips to his again, pressing down hard and passionately with his other hand exploring Kurama's body. Oh, how glad he had been to have had a lover with a virgin body but an experienced mind, Kurama knew exactly what to do and how to do it, his Youko self having had plenty of lovers before him, while his new human body bore no blemish or deviation from the virginity it had been born with. How enjoying it had been to be Kurama's first in that human body of his, how amusing to feel Kurama squirm underneath his body and be in the fire-demon's power.

"Fox…ur…." Hiei groaned, turning onto his stomach as he felt his skin burn with pleasure as he reminisced about Kurama, all of his pent-up sensations frustrating him as though his whole body burned with heat and sensitivity. "Urr…." Hiei groan-growled, relieving himself with his hand, releasing some of the desire those memories of Kurama brought back—his body telling him of his need to have his lover back, to have Kurama back.

Nine minutes later, after cleaning up himself and having a quick dip in the cool blue river, Hiei jumped from tree to tree appearing a blur as he dashed through the mountain forest, heading past Genkai's to the city, desperate in his purpose to quit waiting and take action—he wanted his lover back now. On and on he traveled, arriving at the city only twelve minutes after washing himself in that river, a trip that would have taken a human at least twenty minutes—the thought made Hiei smirk, appreciating that he'd never have to put up with such weakness.

Automatically Hiei headed for Kurama's mother's house, remembering halfway there that his fox no longer lived there, that his fox had stopped living there since four months ago. Silently Hiei changed direction, heading back to the busier section of the city, focusing his Jagan to track down on Kurama's demon energy—realizing after a few moments that Kurama was impressively suppressing his demon aura so that Hiei's Jagan could not sense him.

Unable to locate Kurama with his Jagan, Hiei stood silent on top of one of the city's many buildings trying to figure out where Kurama would be—realizing then that Kurama may be with that new human pet of his. Focusing his Jagan on tracking the spirit energy of that human Hinansho, Hiei again searched for Kurama, hoping that by finding Hinansho he would find Kurama. While he searched for Hinansho's spirit energy another energy signal caught his attention—a powerful demon, S-class by Hiei's estimate of the energy signal, was sneaking around the city getting closer every second.

"Damn it." Hiei mumbled focusing now on the approaching energy signal temporary abandoning his search for Kurama in order to face this new threat. Expecting many things, Hiei lost his focus when he realized that the demon, coming closer and closer every second, was seeking him out—the damned beast was heading right for him.

Deciding not to wait for the demon to reach him, Hiei headed toward the energy signal determined to meet this threat head-on. However, as soon as Hiei moved, the demon's energy signal vanished, causing Hiei to stop abruptly in midair and land on a building's rooftop. Searching for the demon who must have realized that Hiei had sensed him, Hiei jumped down to the street unable to detect the demon with his Jagan.

"Hn." Hiei searched around for the demon with his eyes standing still as he waited for any clue to where the demon was. Preparing himself for the demon's attack, Hiei stepped onto an empty street away from any humans who could get in his way. "…."

"Looking for me?" A voice called from the shadows behind Hiei a split second before striking him, hitting Hiei's back with a well-timed, powerful punch. Without waiting for Hiei to recover himself, the demon rushed at him this time kicking him before he touched the ground. "Heh heh." The strange demon laughed before striking again, hitting Hiei head-on with a strange spirit energy attack.

"Urr…." Hiei struggled to get up and face this enemy, but that last attack seemed to have drained his own energy causing him to collapse on the asphalt of the empty street.

Elsewhere at Hinansho's apartment, Kurama stared out the window wondering what happened to the powerful demonic energy signal he sensed—it seemed to have vanished as soon as he'd sensed it, as though it had been only Kurama's imagination. While Kurama paced in front of the apartment window, debating if the strange aura was anything to worry about, Hinansho entered the apartment having just returned from the store with a bag of groceries. Seeing Kurama pacing anxiously, Hinansho placed down the grocery bag and greeted him.

"Did you miss me that much, Shuui-chan?" Hinansho teased, smiling at Kurama, who stopped pacing when he heard Hinansho's voice, but the smile faded from Hinansho's lips when he realized that Kurama was still worried. "What's wrong, Shuuichi? What is it?"

"I…it's…." Kurama faltered, suddenly overwhelmed and thankful that Hinansho was safe, but still that didn't reassure him, it didn't cleanse away the dark feeling in his demonic heart that something was wrong, that something was terribly wrong.

"Shuuichi?" Hinansho stepped toward Kurama, gasping when the fox-demon wrapped his arms around him, clinging to Hinansho as though life depended on it. "Shuuichi, what's wrong?" Hinansho asked staring worriedly at Kurama as the fox-demon held to him tightly cringing as though in pain. "Shuuichi…." Hinansho put his own arms around Kurama, at a loss as to what to do, his hand accidentally brushing across Kurama's cheek. "Holy shit! You're burning up, Shuui-chan, I'm taking you to the hospital."

"Hi…Hi…." Kurama gasped, feeling intense pain sweep throughout his veins to every inch of his body, seeming as though an overwhelming acid-fire burned in place of his blood. It seemed almost as though he was dying, as though he was finally succumbing to what he avoided numerous times before—but he couldn't, not now, not when his lover needed him—his true lover "Hiei…." Kurama muttered that name at a whisper, falling limp and unconscious afterward.

Meanwhile across the city on an empty city street, Hiei regained consciousness, clutching his pounding head as he stood up, remembering what happened before he fell unconscious. Glaring around him, Hiei, wondering why the demon hadn't finished him off when he was unconscious, took a step forward, falling back down to the asphalt.

"Wha…what the…?" Hiei muttered, staring at his legs incredulously, the legs of his pants were extra baggy as though they were ten or more sizes too large for him, as was his cloak, which reached the ground dragging along the black-top. Gaping at his ultra-large clothing, Hiei tried desperately to figure out what had happened, hoping that his suspicions weren't correct, his bandana slipping down his face to his neck. Grabbing the white bandana from around his neck, deep in thought, Hiei absentmindedly brought his other hand to his forehead expecting to feel his Jagan—but it wasn't there.

"What…the hell?" Hiei swore in surprised shock, preparing to jump up and head over to Yusuke's, however he ended up tripping again, this time rolling down the side of a short cliff, coming to an halt at the water's edge. Staring intently at his reflection in the water, gaping at what he saw, Hiei realized, appalled, just how much of a change the strange demon's attack had wrought. "I…I'm…human! Impossible!"


	4. Dark Revelation

Sorry about not updating, the monitor to the computer broke and I had to wait until a new one arrived.

Chapter Four:

Hiei stared at his reflection, gaping disbelievingly at the water's surface—there was no possible way in hell that this could be right, he, the great thief Hiei, could not be standing at the water's edge the height of a four year old no longer a demon but a human—that was impossible. However, sure enough it was him standing there, an appalled expression on a slightly smoother, chubbier face, with some strands of his spiky black hair falling down to his shoulders.

"N…n…no…impossible…." Hiei muttered in a childlike, high-pitched voice so unlike his normal one, then winced from a pain on his left side, clutching it quickly, instinctively. Blood drenched his hand from a large gash on his side that he must have gotten from his fall down the cliff—it had been, in his opinion, a small fall, but of course in his current body it was farther and deadlier. Swaying on the spot, Hiei fell to the earth, pain and a strange tired weakness rushing throughout his body as he fell unconscious, cursing aloud as he did so.

Elsewhere, at the city hospital, Hinansho paced outside the emergency room, anxious to know if Kurama would be all right, oblivious to everything around him except the door which led to the room where the doctors were working on Kurama.

"Shuuichi…." Hinansho whispered standing still in the hallway facing the room Kurama was in worry etched on his face. Silent he turned his attention away from the door, studying the woman sitting on a chair in the hallway tears streaming down her cheeks—Kurama's human mother Shiori. She had arrived at the hospital only minutes after Hinansho called to tell her about Kurama's illness desperate to get to her son, worried that the worse could happen.

"Hinansho, what's wrong with Shuuichi? What…he didn't…." Shiori asked speaking barely above a whisper unable to bring herself to ask or explain her deepest fear, but Hinansho understood.

"He had a fever and collapsed, that's all. It's not like the last time when he…he's just sick that's all." Hinansho replied reassuring Shiori that Kurama hadn't tried to kill himself again.

"But he's never sick; he hasn't had a cold since he was twelve. How could he get so ill so suddenly?" Shiori muttered desperately staring into Hinansho's eyes silently pleading for some sufficient answer. "My Shuuichi…."

Meanwhile at this same hospital, while Shiori and Hinansho were worrying about Kurama, a stretcher passed by them in the emergency room hall transporting an unconscious, human, Hiei to another room three doors down. (Some passing Good Samaritan had seen Hiei unconscious and called an ambulance) doctors rushed to save Hiei's meek human body, oblivious to the fact that their patient was a demon who, if given the choice, would've killed them before he'd allow them to help him. However, being unconscious, the little fire-demon could do nothing about it, nor could he do anything about being three rooms away from the ill Kurama—neither demon knew the other was so near.

Thirty minutes later Hiei awoke in a white-walled, decently lit room, the wound on his side stitched and bandaged up, all of his other minor cuts and bruised cleaned and bandaged as well. After staring numbly at the ceiling for twenty seconds, Hiei sat up dimly aware of the pain from his wounds, his thoughts concentrated on where he was and how he got there.

'Oh yeah, I fell down that cliff and I….' Remembering the reflection he had observed in the water, realizing what his painfully weakened body meant, Hiei closed his eyes shuddering, wishing that it were not true—wishing that he hadn't changed into a human.

"Oh, you're awake." A nurse, checking in on Hiei, spoke, her voice tender and kind—the sort of voice one uses when speaking to a small child. Hiei's cheeks grew red hearing that tone, from anger and embarrassment at his weakness—oh, he was going to kill the demon who did this to him. "Such an adorable little boy you are, so sad for you to be alone. Do you know where your parents are to the hospital can get in touch with them?" The nurse smiled, pinching Hiei's soft, chubby cheeks oblivious to the fire-demon's growing anger and frustration.

"Get away from me." Hiei growled—or at least tried to, in his four year old human body the tone of the words were just too adorable and childlike to be considered a growl. Hearing his own soft voice made Hiei even more angry and frustrated; he couldn't decide what was worse: him being human or him being a child. 'Why are humans so obsessed with how cute children look? Like that has any meaning.' Hiei narrowed his eyes in thought, crossing his arms across his chest—distracted again by the nurse pinching his cheek.

"Acting macho, eh? You're the sweetest little thing!" The nurse exclaimed with a smile, giving Hiei a big hug, careful not to hurt his wounds.

"Leave me alone." Hiei growled in his childish voice, turning red with how close he was to the human female—his body was that of a four year old, but his mind remained his own age. "If I had my normal body I could overpower, strip and have my way with you in a matter of seconds." Hiei muttered, muffled against the nurse's bosom.

"Huh? Did you say something?" The nurse asked, smiling at Hiei who now looked horrified.

'Shit! Why the fuck did I say that?' Hiei screamed in his head, growing red from embarrassment, him saying something like that aloud was so unlike him—however, secretly it was only saying it that was strange. Several times in the past Hiei, in necessity to quell his urges, had done exactly what he said to the nurse—found a human, overpowered him or her, and had his way in a matter of seconds. Most of those times the human did not know what had happened, on other rare occasions Hiei used willing humans—those times were few because of his inability to be seductive enough. However, Hiei felt no qualms about overpowering humans, in fact, he did the very same thing to demons weaker than himself—it was the way of demons, whoever a demon overpowered became that demon's prize. That was the law of the demons, and Hiei never gave his actions on the matter any thought—not until he met the spirit fox.

Yes, becoming close to the spirit fox Kurama, Hiei actually gave his actions deeper thought, however thought itself never changes action and Hiei believed it unnecessary to change. Kurama believed differently though, and Kurama refused to be a lover to someone who raped those weaker, and demanded Hiei to stop doing so. Hiei then retorted that Kurama as Youko could never have been so high and mighty—even if Youko used seduction and treachery instead of force, it resulted in the same thing. It was the one time Hiei had won an argument with the spirit fox, who dropped the topic abruptly afterward.

"Hn." Hiei muttered realizing that the nurse had finally left, and felt slight relief until he realized he was not alone.

"Well, hello there. Had enough of daydreaming?" A voice asked snugly from the windows, its owner sitting in the open window.

"Who are you?" Hiei demanded trying to ignore how childish his voice sounded, he could not wait until he was back to normal, then he would teach the demon who did this to him a lesson. "You…that voice…you're the one!" Hiei growled recognizing the person's voice as that of the demon that shrunk him, silently cursing his body when he realized he could not sense auras anymore.

"Correct. I'm the one who attacked you, and it seemed my attack had some marvelous affects on you." The demon replied grinning as he studied Hiei, oblivious to the fire-demon's murderous stare. Carelessly, the demon flicked a strand of blood-red hair away from his auburn eyes, the smile never leaving his lips.

"…."

"Nothing to say to me? I'd have thought you would curse me out for what I did. Did the transformation make you soft or are you just beyond anger? Hm?"

"Change me back." Hiei demanded ignoring the demon's question, slowly standing up—if only he could kill the beast.

"That would defeat the whole purpose I attacked you for in the first place."

"…this is a coward's way to kill…"

"Who said I wanted to kill you? I sure didn't." The demon spoke glaring intently at Hiei. "I wish for a favor…."

"What makes you think I'll do anything for you?"

"You want me to reverse the spell I put on you, don't you?"

"…." Hiei nodded silently.

"Good, then you will do as I say…."

Meanwhile, the unconscious Kurama finally became stabilized; however, he remained unconscious, not moving once as the doctors wheeled him into a different room to rest. Hearing that Kurama's condition was stable relieved Shiori and Hinansho, as well as Yusuke when he showed up having just got the news.

"I started over here as soon as I heard, so what's wrong? Did he…?" Yusuke asked as the three of them sat in the room next to Kurama's hospital bed.

"No, he's just come down sick, incredibly sick." Hinansho answered briefly, and then silence ensued. After a few minutes of silence, Shiori stood up.

"I'm going to see if Shuuichi's stepfather's here yet. I'll be in the hall if he wakes up." Shiori spoke leaving the room, trying to reassure herself that her son would be just fine.

After a few more moments of awkward silence, Yusuke spoke up, studying Hinansho curiously.

"Care to tell me who you are?"

"I'm Hinansho and you are?"

"Yusuke Urameshi. How do you know Ku…Shuuichi?"

"There's no need to worry, Shuui-chan's told me all about what he is and the Spirit World, you can call him Kurama if it's easier."

"Oh, he told you everything?"

"About him being a Spirit fox, yes, and he mentioned you as well. So are you really a Spirit Detective?"

"Yes. So…Hinansho, what are you and Kurama to each other? He hasn't said anything about you…."

"Well, we're roommates, and lovers." Hinansho replied, a bit shocked that Kurama hadn't told anyone about him.

"Really? But it's only been a week since he broke up with Akiko, and it took him four months before he…."

"Well, we've only just became lovers—last night in fact."

"I think that's enough of that topic." Yusuke replied, no longer wanting to know of the fox-demon's love life. "So do you have any idea how Kurama got sick?"

"No, he just collapsed when I came back from the store. He…." Hinansho fell silent, worry and guilt etched on his face, his mind on a different thought. "Oh no…."

"What? What is it?" Yusuke asked, suspicious of Hinansho's reaction. "Tell me."

"I…I think I made Shuui-chan sick. I...my last lover was a demon as well and…" Hinansho paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "He's skilled in spells and such."

"What does that have to do with…?"

"He didn't like me breaking up with him, and he put a curse on me. He'd said I'd never keep another lover. I…I…." Hinansho fell silent, tears running down his cheeks. "Oh, god no…."

"Kurama…damn it." Yusuke turned his attention to the unconscious fox-demon.


	5. Bonds

"What? You mean Kurama's sick because of that runt!" Kuwabara exclaimed after Yusuke finished telling him what Hinansho told him. After hearing Hinansho's confession, Yusuke called everyone to a meeting at Genkai's—Kurama's condition was stable enough at the moment, so there was no reason to worry. So far the only one who wasn't there, besides Kurama of course, was Hiei, no one had been able to reach him.

"I'm sorry, I forgot all about the curse my ex-lover put on me. I wouldn't hurt Shuui-chan on purpose." Hinansho apologized, his eyes red from crying, his cheeks wet, nose runny.

"Uh…you can stop crying now; we know you didn't do it on purpose." Kuwabara quickly replied, trying to figure out how to cheer Hinansho up.

"Yeah, it's not that bad yet. We just need to undo the curse, for that we need to find your ex-lover." Genkai spoke up, staring at Hinansho, who stood only around a foot taller than she did, observing his deep black hair kept wildly spiked, silently chuckling to herself.

"What's so funny?" Hinansho asked, perplexed by Genkai's amused expression.

"Did the fox have you spike your hair?"

"Yes…."

"Heh, thought so."

"What? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You remind Kurama of someone else, that's why he became your lover so soon, the stupid fox."

"Shuui-chan's not stupid, take that back!"

"Jeez…you took that too personally."

"…hm…." Hinansho fell silent, looking at the floor still annoyed at Kurama being called 'stupid fox.' Although he wished to remain silent, curiosity got the better of Hinansho. "Um…Genkai? Um…who do I remind Shuui-chan of?"

"I thought you'd asked that question." Genkai chuckled gazing at Hinansho knowingly. "Seeing as its no one here, it's not very necessary for you to know right now. As soon as you see him, you will know. Now, however, is the time where you answer our questions. First, what is the name of your ex-lover? Second, what sort of powers does he have?"

"His name's Karaikasai, and he mostly uses incantations—ancient spells and curses. Though he does know how to fight and use aura attacks." Hinansho replied, dismayed that Genkai hadn't answered his question.

"So this Karaikasai demon put a curse on you because he was mad about you breaking up with him and now Kurama's paying for it." Genkai stated closing her eyes once before turning her eyes back to Hinansho. "This demon must be extremely adept at spells to be able to affect a demon of Kurama's class."

"He is." Koenma interrupted stepping into the room in time to hear the demon's name. "Karai is an S-class demon, but most of his power goes into his spells and enchantments. He hardly ever fights with real combat techniques; he usually puts a curse on his opponent beforehand so his opponent can't fight."

"You certainly know a lot about this Karai demon."

"Well yes, he was prosecuted by the Spirit World in the past for a few misdemeanors. Nothing serious, just rude pranks that became dangerous." Koenma replied pausing for a second before continuing. "The only serious crime he did was selling his knowledge of spells to humans. Now some spells were not dangerous since it require use by a demon, but some were very dangerous and the Spirit World was forced to arrest him. He got off without any jail time in the Spirit World."

"But if those spells were dangerous…."

"Karai is very good at persuasion, his gift at speech enabled him to avoid jail time, and he hasn't been in trouble since. Though there was this strange occurrence around eight weeks ago…where he's been rumored to live, but there's no evidence he was involved."

"Eight weeks? Um…I…."

"Yes, Hinansho, what is it?"

"Karai and I broke up eight weeks ago. If he did anything it would have to be because he loss his temper. He didn't want me to break up with him. He ended up summoning a couple of monsters from the Demon World, but he sent them back after checking his temper."

"Well…so he was behind that." Koenma muttered, looking curiously at Hinansho who looked fearfully at him.

"You won't arrest him for that, will you?"

"You seem awfully protective of your ex-lover."

"I…it's…." Hinansho stammered, turning red, avoiding everyone's eyes.

"Why did you break up with Karai?"

"That's…that's none of your business." Hinansho replied turning away from everyone's gaze, acting in a way that said he would not answer any questions on the subject. "I don't know where Karai is right now, I heard nothing about him since I left him in Kyoto to move here."

"You're sure…."

"Yes, I don't know where he is. I'm going back to the hospital to stay with Shuui-chan; you guys can do what you want to find Karai." Hinansho stood up avoiding everyone's eye as he strode out of the temple, intent on keeping silent. No one followed as he walked farther from the temple, deeper into the surrounding forest—oblivious to every sight and sound around him.

Tears fell from his green, emerald eyes dripping down his cheeks and to the ground as he stopped, leaning against a tree covered in shadow, gasping for breath between his sobs.

"Shuuichi…." Hinansho sobbed, quivering with fear and guilt over what he had done—he hadn't done it on purpose, but his careless forgetfulness was robbing his most cherish lover, of life and power. How could anyone ever forgive his fatal carelessness, he knew what curse Karai placed upon him, and knew Kurama could not survive it, only if the victim of the curse was of a higher class than the caster could the curse fail, and there was no class above S-class which Karai was. Hinansho could not bear to tell Kurama's friends this—they still had hope, even if it was an impossible hope, and Hinansho couldn't bring himself to take it away.

Caught up in his own thoughts, Hinansho failed to notice how a blanket of silence quenched the noisy, hyped-up forest or how a sudden darkness, deeper than night fell in upon him. Hinansho noticed none of this until the sound of footsteps resounded loudly through the silence.

"Who?"

"So you're the one." A voice snarled in the darkness, anger, hate—intense malice wrapped up in a growl. It was a voice tinted in evil, laced with hatred deeper than the pits of hell and greater than the emptiness of space.

"Who…are…you?" Hinansho stammered, quivering uncontrollably, heart pounding wildly in fear—the very darkness seemed to radiate with the horror and hate concealed in that voice. "Why are you here?"

"To kill you."

"Why?"

"It's the only way to save him."

"Him…? I…oh!" Hinansho gasped as he realized who the voice meant by 'him.' "You mean…Kurama?" Silence was the only reply, however Hinansho felt the hate-filled darkness flicked with a different emotion—it wavered only for a moment, but long enough for Hinansho to grasp the truth. "You…you're the one Genkai said I remind Kurama of! What's your name?"

"Shut up." The voice growled, masking the sound of footsteps as he lunged at Hinansho, swinging the sword blade at Hinansho's throat. The deafening silence, however, increased the intensity of the swooshing sound of the sword swing—Hinansho dodged it before it struck him, falling to the ground as he did so. Hinansho's attacker however was quicker than he had anticipated, lunging at him again right after the first attack missed. Blood spurted out from the gash left across Hinansho's chest from the sword's blade, the force of the blow knocking Hinansho ten feet through the air to land by a riverbank where darkness hadn't reached.

"Please…I…."

"Shut up." His attacker seethed, stepping onto the bank of the river, the sword in his right hand, blood dripping from its blade. Hinansho studied his attacker's appearance—black spiky hair, intense red eyes gleaming with a suspicious hatred, short stature—only an inch shorter than Hinansho.

"Who are you?"

"Be quiet."

"But…."

"SHUT UP!"

Hinansho fell silent at the sight of his attacker's face contorted in rage, eyes glowing with an evil hatred—something unreal, unnatural, glistening in their reddish hue. He had seen that same glint in a person's eyes before—that glistening anger and unnatural rage shone brightly in the eyes one other person, eight weeks ago.

"Heh, kill him." Hinansho gasped at the words spoken by that all too familiar voice, a voice and tone he heard only eight weeks ago.

"Karai! No…."

"Heh. Die!" Karai lunged at Hinansho striking the human boy in his abdomen with his clawed right hand, breaking through the skin and exiting through Hinansho's back, blood splattering from the entrance and exit wounds.

"Ka…rai…why…?" Hinansho gasped, coughing, blood shooting and dripping from his mouth as he spoke, tears streaming down his cheeks. Eyes blurred with tears, weak from blood loss, Hinansho fell limp, despair consuming him, swallowing him deeper into weakness, his gaze drifting to his ex-lover's right arm—then he knew. Realization whelmed throughout him, causing him to fight against the drowsy weakness threatening to overpower him.

"You're…not…Karai…." Hinansho muttered raggedly before falling unconscious.

Feeling the human boy fall limp, the imposter Karai let go of his hold on Hinansho, his arm covered with the boy's blood. Slowly he turned to the person standing behind him, smirking at him as he licked the blood on his arm.

"You did your part well, Hiei."

"Undo the spell you put on me."

"Undo? Why don't you like the new you?"

"I fulfilled my part, now fulfill yours and change me back, take your mark off me!" Hiei growled revealing the mark on his right-shoulder, tattoo-like, the image of a stretched out bird—like a crow. Anxious to return to his old body, he had agreed to allow the demon to place a spell on him, he had gotten his original body back but not he wanted the controlling mark taken off.

"No. You did not kill Hinansho."

"What's it matter? He's dead! Now take the spell off!"

"Hah hah! You think I'm foolish enough for that? Hah! No, I'll keep that spell on you."

"You bastard! I'll kill…." Hiei made to lunge at the imposter Karai but with merely a wave of his hand, the imposter flung Hiei away without touching him—then bound the fire-demon with energy bonds before Hiei hit the ground. Bonds of green demonic energy bound Hiei's wrists behind his back, and to his neck. A final bond bound Hiei's legs together—immobilizing him. "Bastard!"

"Heh, delightful. You look so…enticing in bondage, you're physically helpless and yet your spirit is unbroken." The imposter spoke, lustily, grabbing the fire-demon by the hair and bringing his lips down roughly on Hiei's unwelcoming ones. A zap of energy to the mark on Hiei's shoulder loosened the poor fire-demon's defenses—Hiei's lips parted against his will, and his entire body seemed out of his control. The imposter demon explored Hiei's mouth with his tongue, his pleasure intensified feeling how reluctant and frustrated the fire demon was at the loss of control over his own body.

"We're going to have fun tonight."

"Bastard!"

"I'm going to love breaking you." The imposter smirked, lunging at Hiei with lustful sadism, intent on overpowering the reluctant fire-demon.

Unseen by either demon, someone, concealed in shadow sprung away from the scene carrying the body of Hinansho in his arms, stalking quietly through the forest.


	6. Confession

Three days passed since Hinansho disappeared, Yusuke and everyone else waited at Genkai's for him to return the night he left, but he failed to—and when Hinansho failed to show, Genkai called the hospital to discover that Hinansho never showed. Hearing this news, everyone suspected Hinansho had runaway, but somehow this didn't bode well with any of them. Hinansho wasn't the only one missing—Hiei hadn't showed up as well, in fact no one saw him since the first day of Kurama's illness. Disappearing without a word wasn't unusual for the fire-demon, but Yusuke couldn't help but wondered about the strange occurrences: first Kurama came down sick and then Hinansho and Hiei turn up missing. It was too much of a coincidence; all three occurrences must be related. But how?

"Damn it. Hiei, Hinansho, where are you two?" Yusuke muttered staring out of the window of his apartment, desperately wondering if anything else could go wrong. While Yusuke stared out the window there was a knock on the apartment's door. Hoping that it was Hinansho (Hiei would never knock) Yusuke rushed to open the door only then realizing that Hinansho didn't know where he lived, and his hope gone, Yusuke opened the door unhappily, believing now that it was some stranger at his door.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"That's a rude way to greet visitors, detective." The visitor replied, his blood-red hair reaching his waist, matted with blood and sweat, tangled intensely as though he failed to take care of it for months. His auburn eyes—or eye, his left one was scabbed over, three long scars running over it from his forehead down to his cheek, staring at the Spirit Detective desperately. Everything about this being seemed ragged and weak, only a strong desperation seemed to allow this stranger to stand. Yusuke's stare took in the stranger's roughed up appearance while his spirit awareness sensed the fact that this person was a demon.

"Wha…?"

"No time for that, help me get him to a couch." The demon visitor spoke cutting off Yusuke who just noticed that the demon held someone at his side. "I would've made it here sooner but I couldn't carry him all the way."

"Hinansho!" Yusuke gasped grabbing the human boy from the demon's grasp, desperately looking for some signal of life from Hinansho's body. Noticing his heartbeat, Yusuke laid Hinansho down on the couch looking over the bandaged wounds across the boy's chest and abdomen, the cloths covered in blood. "What happened to him! Who are you?" Yusuke demanded of the demon who now stared at Hinansho wistfully, longing sadness in his remaining eye.

"Hinansho…." The demon's voice, soft and desperate for hope, spoke that name, his fingers caressing Hinansho's locks of soft black hair lovingly. "You can help him, can't you?"

"Wha…I…." Yusuke stared at the demon, unable to help feeling sorry for him—something about that desperation in the demon's voice convinced Yusuke that the demon cared about Hinansho. "I….Are you Karaikasai?"

"Yes, can you help Hinansho, please? I'm too weak to use my spells to save him. Please, can't you help?"

"I can't heal him myself, but I'll call Genkai, she'll heal him." Yusuke replied, picking up the phone and making a quick call, then he turned his attention back to Hinansho and Karaikasai. " You care about him a lot, don't you?"

"Yes. Hinansho is my life."

"But…you two broke up, and you put a curse on him…."

"That wasn't me."

"Wha…?"

"That wasn't me. I haven't seen Hinansho for ten weeks, two weeks before he said he broke up with me, my brother…."

"Your brother what?"

"My brother attacked me and made me his prisoner. He forced me to teach him spells, threatening to kill Hinansho if I didn't comply. He also forced…he forced me to do other things as well."

"Other things?"

"Things I don't wish to talk about." Karai replied, turning red and wrapping his left arm around him. "He's a sadist."

"Oh, um…." Yusuke didn't know how to respond, and was sure he shouldn't push the question. "So, what happened to Hinansho? Did he find out about your brother?"

"No. I was forced to teach him how to disguise his appearance, he took my form—and Hinansho."

"You let him take Hinansho as a lover?"

"He threatened to kill Hinansho if I didn't do what he told me to. He vowed not to hurt Hinansho as long as I did what he said."

"What happened to Hinansho though? His wounds, how did he…?"

"My brother attacked him three days ago, I don't know if Hinansho realized it wasn't me though. I tried to heal him but I can't—I could, but I wouldn't survive to look after him if my brother found out he's alive." Karai shivered, tears falling from his goodbye, his lips trembling. "It's my fault though."

"What?"

"I brought my brother back from the dead—I didn't think he'd hurt me or Hinansho, and he's my brother, I thought it was the right thing to do."

"Who is your brother?"

"Karasu."

"Karasu! Holy shit! You brought someone like him back from the dead? Are you insane!"

"He's my brother." Karai mumbled looking away from Yusuke and studying Hinansho who was breathing slowly now, audible only to someone right next to him. "It wasn't the best idea, I see that now, but he was family."

"Well, I guess what's done, is done. But if we have to kill him again, promise me not to bring him back."

"I promise."

"Good, and…." The door opening attracted their attention, Yusuke looked toward the door curiously. "Genkai?"

"Yes. It was Kuwabara who opened your door without knocking."

"Why knock? He was expecting us." Kuwabara grumbled, then remembering the good news, he turned to Yusuke. "Guess what, Urameshi, Kurama's awake!"

"Wha…really? That's great, finally some good news." Yusuke replied, turning back to Karai and Hinansho. "Before we celebrate, can you heal Hinansho. It'd be bittersweet if Kurama survived and his current lover died."

"Yes." Genkai replied glancing once at Karai without saying a word, then focused on healing Hinansho. As she did so, Kuwabara studied Karai with interest.

"Who's the demon?" Kuwabara asked Yusuke, pointing at Karai.

"My name's Karaikasai. It's rude to point and ask someone else who I am when I'm perfectly capable of doing so myself." Karai replied, cutting Yusuke off before he could answer Kuwabara.

"Sorry." Kuwabara mumbled, he had thought Karai looked too roughed up and preoccupied to answer him, but he assumed wrong. "Urameshi, have you heard from Hiei yet? Kurama has been muttering about him ever since he regained consciousness."

"No. I haven't seen Hiei at all. But you know Hiei, he just loves disappearing without telling us anything."

"I guess you're right. But Kurama's worried and keeps muttering something about Karasu…."

"WHAT!" Yusuke and Karai exclaimed, gaping at Kuwabara disbelievingly, both jumping up at the sound of that name. "Kara…Karasu? You're sure?"

"Yes…we think he may've just had a nightmare, there's no way Karasu could be alive…." Kuwabara replied, mistaking Yusuke's and Karai's responses to merely be fear that it could be true that Karasu was alive.

"Um…actually…Karai's told me…."

"Huh? What…?"

"Karasu is alive." Kari finished Yusuke's sentence bracing himself for Kuwabara's and Genkai's responses.

"WHAT!" Kuwabara yelled jumping back away from Karai.

"How do you know if…?" Genkai asked, controlling her surprise to question Karai.

"Because I resurrected him."

"…wha…you idiot!" Genkai rushed up to Karai and hit him over the head, wondering how anyone could be dumb enough to bring someone like Karasu back to life. "How could you be that stupid?"

"Hey, back off! Karasu's my brother and…." Karai fell silent seeing Genkai's and Kuwabara's fearful, distrusting stares—obviously he shouldn't have said that.

"Your BROTHER!"

"I'm nothing like him though! Honestly!"

"Yeah right."

"I'm nothing like my brother!"

Elsewhere, while Karai was arguing with Kuwabara about Karai's relative, the imposter Karai, who was Karasu disguised, sat down, relaxing on a cushioned, oak wood chair, gazing sadistically ahead of him at the unconscious Hiei. Capturing the fire-demon had been a joy in itself, and Karasu had the ecstatic pleasure of enjoying the fire-demon for three days. Enjoyed to the fullest extent, which proved too much for the little fire demon—Hiei had collapsed a few times during their fun. Well, Karasu's fun, Hiei still fought incessantly against his tormentor's abuse until he fell unconscious, only to continue the fight when he regain consciousness.

Right now Hiei laid unconscious on the stone floor where he had fallen ten minutes before, exhausted and sore from Karasu's roughness—the longest he stood down after collapsing. Unknown to Karasu, however, Hiei for the moment merely pretended to be unconscious; he was fully aware of his surroundings, but too wary to endure Karasu's lust again. Hiei never encountered anyone like Karasu before, no one had ever overpowered the fire-demon for this purpose—and Hiei was all too glad that Karasu stopped when he collapsed.

Oh, if only Hiei knew the demon was Karasu beforehand, he would never have agreed to any deal, he knew Karasu would never keep his side. But Karasu said nothing about his disguise until the fire-demon was in his power, and Karasu only told Hiei his identity because the disguise spell wore off. The spell wore off—that was what Hiei waited for now, if the spell connecting him to Karasu wore off, he would at least be able to truly fight against Karasu. As it was, Hiei could only shout and curse at Karasu, the wretch demon had control over the fire-demon as long as the mark on Hiei's right shoulder remained.

"That mark's much more efficient than just a demon mating bite." Karasu spoke, surprising the fire-demon, but Hiei remained still—Karasu spoke sometimes to catch Hiei faking loss of consciousness, but if Hiei didn't move Karasu continued waiting. "There's no use in pretending. I see you staring at that mark on your shoulder. It's been too long for you to truly be unconscious." Karasu spoke as Hiei continued feigning unconsciousness, but the fire-demon quickly flinched when Karasu stepped toward him. "Thought so. How long have you been awake, my pet? I waited five minutes longer than the last time, were you awake those five minutes?"

Hiei only glared at Karasu, growling savagely at the demon, cursing himself silently for not remaining still longer.

"Five minutes wasted when I could've been enjoying you, my pet. I don't appreciate that at all." Karasu stepped behind Hiei, placing his one arm around Hiei's shoulder and his other hand—Hiei tried not to think about where Karasu put his other hand.

Hiei cringed feeling Karasu enter him roughly with no thought about how much he hurt the fire-demon, each time seemed as rough, if not rougher, as the other times during the past days—Karasu aimed to hurt Hiei as much as he could. Only the fact that Hiei's body didn't respond to Karasu's rough caresses and thrusts saved Hiei from losing hope—it hurt him tremendously, but the fact that Karasu couldn't control Hiei's body with pleasure reassured Hiei of his pride. And pride was all he had now. No one, not even his fox had come to help him yet, and though it hurt his pride to be so much in need, it hurt something else even more to be forsaken by Kurama. Hiei didn't know that Kurama truly couldn't leave to find him yet—he had assumed Karasu lied to him about everything when he revealed his true identity. Hiei didn't know that Kurama had been, and was still, deathly ill.


	7. Trouble Brews

Staring out the window at the city hospital, Kurama thought about nothing except Hiei—his fire-demon needed him desperately, but Kurama couldn't sense Hiei's aura anywhere, he could sense random bits of familiar aura, but these reminded him of Karasu and that couldn't be possible. Karasu couldn't be alive, Kurama had killed him himself.

"Shuuichi? Are you all right?" Shiori asked, just walking into the hospital room to see her son. Kurama greeted her, appreciating her presence even though he'd prefer to speak to Yusuke or Genkai. If Hinansho visited, Kurama could give him a message to give to Genkai, but Hinansho hadn't showed up since Kurama regained consciousness, and no one would tell him where Hinansho was.

"You're still a bit warm." Shiori spoke after placing her hand on Kurama's forehead. "You should get back in bed and rest."

"Mother, that's the nurse's job, besides I'm eighteen, going on nineteen." Kurama groaned a little, but enjoyed having his mother there with him.

"Just because you're over eighteen doesn't mean I can't take care of my baby. I'm your mother and you're sick, it's only natural for me to take care of you."

"I know, mother, but…if Yusuke visits could you give me and him some time to talk alone?"

"I guess so…." Shiori looked at her firstborn son curiously. Something worried him, she could tell, but he hadn't told her anything yet—there were some things in his life he was so secretive about. But he had never given her anything to worry about until that incident nine months ago when Kurama attempted to take his own life.

When Shiori found out what her son had tried to do, she was frantic, devastation shook her as she struggled to figure out why her son would attempt such a thing. She hadn't believed it was Shuuichi until she saw him at the hospital, in one of those beds, bandages around his wrists. Hiding her terror, she had held her son in her arms, telling him it was all right and pleading with him to tell her what was wrong. But he wouldn't tell her, he wouldn't tell anybody, not the doctors nor his friends. Her son had just worn a sorrowful, desolate look on his face refusing to speak—and right now he had that same look on his face.

"Shuuichi, is anything wrong? If there is you can tell me."

"Mother, has Hinansho been to visit lately? I've asked Kuwabara and Master Genkai, but they didn't tell me anything."

"I…well, I haven't seen him. He may've visited while I wasn't here during the three days you were unconscious, but I haven't seen him during the last three days."

"He hasn't visited at all, has he? Momma…."

"Shuuichi, I…." Shiori fell silent, seeing the tears fall from her son's eyes, hearing the desperation in his voice. Holding Kurama close to her, Shiori comforted her firstborn unable to stand him being so upset—but his reaction to Hinansho not visiting intrigued her and how Kurama hadn't introduced Hinansho to her intrigued her even more.

"Shuuichi…what are you and Hinansho to each other? Are you friends or…."

"…." Kurama blushed unable to answer his mother honestly, but his blush and embarrassed silence answered for him.

"You could've said something sooner, it doesn't matter who you're with, as long as you care about, and love each other enough. I just want you to be happy."

"Mother." Kurama flung his arms around Shiori, burying his face in her bosom as tears cascaded down his cheeks. "I'm sorry I hurt you, I didn't mean to…distress you. I…."

"Shh…it's okay, Shuuichi, it's okay." Shiori crooned, knowing by the way Kurama was looking at his wrist that he was speaking of his suicide attempt. "You survived, that's all that mattered. You survived then, like you'll survive now."

"It was…I was so upset…my…my…Hiei left…he didn't contact me for three years…and…I…." Kurama sobbed confessing about how much Hiei had hurt him. "…didn't know if he cared…now Hinansho's left too…momma, I don't want to be left again…momma."

"Shh…it'll be all right, Shuuichi, I'm sure Hinansho…." Shiori began, holding her son tightly to her wanting to soothe his pain, when the door opened and Yusuke and Hinansho stepped through. "Shuuichi, your friends are her. Hinansho's here."

"Hi…Hinansho?" Kurama whispered looking up at the doorway, hoping it was true—and it was, Hinansho was here visiting him.

"Shuui-chan…you're crying? What's wrong? You couldn't have thought that I'd leave you." Hinansho stepped up to Kurama, holding out his arms to hold Kurama. "Shuui-chan?"

However, Kurama looked away, refusing to embrace Hinansho, because no matter how much he cared about Hinansho, Kurama realized he cared about someone else even more and the fact that Hiei wasn't here hurt him more than Hinansho's visit helped him. No matter how much he hoped Hinansho could replace Hiei, Kurama knew it wouldn't happen—he was too tied to the fire-demon, and Hiei's absence worried him more than it upset him.

"Shuuichi?" Shiori whispered looking at her son worriedly, wondering why he wasn't happy to see Hinansho.

"Mother, can you leave the room for a few minutes?"

"Sure, Shuuichi." Shiori replied, leaving the room without a word of protest. After Shiori left Kurama turned to look around the room, he had sensed that there was someone new amongst Yusuke and the others—a demon with a strangely familiar aura.

"Shuui-chan? What…?"

"Hinansho, who's the demon behind you?" Kurama asked staring behind Hinansho at what seemed to be empty space except it radiated with demonic aura. At the sound of Kurama's words, the demon behind Hinansho became visible, a look of bewilderment on his face.

"You could sense me?"

"Yes. Who are you?" Kurama asked, knowing by the looks on Yusuke's, Kuwabara's, and Genkai's faces that they knew the demon had been there the whole time, but Kurama didn't know if he should be reassured by that.

"Karaikasai."

"Why did you sneak in?"

"Look at me, I didn't think anyone would let me in. anyway it was the detective's idea." Karai replied pointing to Yusuke.

"Yusuke?"

"Yes, I told him to sneak in because we didn't want Hinansho to know he came."

"What? But why…?"

"Shuui-chan, it's because Karai's my ex-lover and…."

"Wha—? Why is he here if he's your ex?"

"Because I'm technically not his ex, he broke up with my brother disguised as me, not realizing that it wasn't me." Karai replied, looking Kurama over suspiciously. "And by the way you returned his greeting; you didn't want to see Hinansho."

"Wha…I…."

"It's not time for this right now." Yusuke butted in, standing between Karai and Kurama, who looked at each other hatefully. "We need to talk about Karasu right now."

"What? Karasu? You're not saying that he is…alive?"

"He is alive. Karai here was the one who resurrected him."

"WHAT!" Kurama glared at Karai, standing up quickly in an attempt to lunge at him—Kurama's feeling was right, Hiei was in danger and it was all because of this bastard resurrected Karasu. Before Kurama could rip Karai limb from limb, Hinansho grabbed the fox-demon's hands straining to make him relax back on the bed.

"Shuui-chan, please, attacking Karai won't help." Hinansho spoke up, looking from Kurama to Karai, who had held up his left arm to defend himself against Kurama's attempted attack. That motion proved it was Karai, because Karai was completely left-handed and could only move his right arm if he wore an energized arm brace—something Hinansho had realized the imposter hadn't worn when he had attacked him three nights ago with his right arm.

"Hinansho, You'll protect him! You're my lover now, not his." Kurama growled, his Youko self shining in his eyes.

"Urr…yes, I'm your lover, whom you didn't care to greet when I visited just now and whom you failed to mention you liked only because I remind you of someone else." Hinansho lashed, his frustration getting the better of him, he didn't want to be angry but Kurama's failing to greet him, as well as his secrecy as to why he wanted Hinansho to look a certain way, upset the human boy immensely.

"I…who…who told you…that you remind me…of…of…."

"Genkai told me, but I saw him three nights ago when I was attacked."

"You saw…you were attacked?"

"Yes, by Karasu disguised as Karai. Your buddy was with him as well."

"Wha…Hiei? Hiei was with Karasu?"

"Yes."

"No." Kurama whispered, a sick horrible feeling rising in his stomach—Hiei was in trouble, terrible, horrible trouble and Kurama needed to help him.

Seeing Kurama's horrified expression, Hinansho put his arms on the fox-demon's shoulders, in an effort to calm him. However Kurama narrowed his green eyes glinting yellow from his Youko form, and growled hating being held back.

"Hinansho…."

"Shuui-chan."

"Get away from me." Kurama growled, hitting Hinansho across the face, sending the human boy to the floor, the Karai grabbed Kurama's arm, his left hand squeezing Kurama's right in a steel-like grip. "Let go of me."

"How dare you hit Hinansho." Karai growled his good right eye narrowed to a slit, his mouth twisted into an angry snarl. "I'll not tolerate it." Karai bend Kurama's wrist, attempting to break it, however Yusuke stepped in to stop Karai—however he hadn't much luck loosening Karai's grip on Kurama's wrist.

When it seemed Karai was going to snap Kurama's wrist, he let go flinching in pain himself, quickly turning to his right side where Hinansho squeezed his right arm (It was much weaker than his left). Seeing that Karai had let ho of Kurama's wrist, Hinansho released his grip on Karai's arm looking up at the demon with pleading emerald eyes.

"Hinansho…."

"Don't hurt Shuui-chan, please."

"But…but…he…." Karai stammered, looking from Kurama to Hinansho, his anger weakening seeing Hinansho's pleading eyes, his trembling lips. Slowly Karai stepped away from the bed, sitting down on the floor in a corner of the room, his face an expressionless mask, cradling his right arm with his left.

"Karai, I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I couldn't bear you hurting Kurama." Hinansho knelt down next to Karai, who turned away when Hinansho tried to peer into his face. "Karai…."

"Forget about him." Kurama muttered massaging his wrist, checking for any injuries Karai's grip could've cause, ignoring the soreness of his skin and muscles. Reassured that none of his bones were broken, Kurama stood up, observing Hinansho's saddened, worried face without emotion. "Tell me more about that night you saw Hiei with Karasu, Hinansho."

"Why should I?" Hinansho replied, not looking at Kurama, an undertone of anger rising in his voice. "He's the one who attacked me first."

"No, you lie." Kurama froze hearing Hinansho's words, denying that Hiei would attack Hinansho.

"It's the truth. He was working with Karasu, though I'm not sure he knew the true identity of his partner." Hinansho finally looked into Kurama's eyes, shocked to see a flicker of emotion in the fox-demon's eyes; Kurama seemed unable to hide all of his emotion behind a stoic mask right now.

"I…we need to find Hiei now." Kurama spoke worry in his voice, desperately looking around the room at each person, trembling a bit as he did so. "We must…." Gasping for breath, Kurama collapsed, falling to the floor while everyone in the room tried catching him—Hinansho ended up catching him in his arms, placing his hand on Kurama's forehead to feel his temp.

"He's burning up! Get the doctor!" Hinansho shouted to Yusuke who rushed out to get the doctor, and Kuwabara helped Hinansho get Kurama back in bed, looking worried as he stared at the fox-demon.

"Kurama…."


	8. Greater than Bondage

Staring silently at the twilight sky, Karasu flicked strands of his coal black hair out of his face, his stony eyes glinting with intrigue. Just a moment ago he'd sensed Kurama's energy skyrocket, but now it was barely noticeable—interesting.

"I'm sure you sensed it, my pet." Karasu spoke softly, turning to gaze at the fire demon lying as still as a rock on the floor of the dimly lit room. "Your fox is weak--Too weak to live long. Heh." Karasu stepped toward Hiei, noticing the soft tremble of Hiei's lips, the shiver of the fire-demon's body, bare and illuminated in the moonlight from the window.

'Kurama, no….' Hiei whispered in his head, desperately wishing that he had mistaken that aura signal, but Karasu sensed it as well, Kurama was dying. Right when he needed him the most, Kurama wasn't here with Hiei—but it was only because the fox couldn't get to him, Hiei realized, but that thought only distressed him more. Kurama was deathly ill and Hiei could do nothing about it. The fire-demon's thoughts cried out to Kurama, while his body remained numb, ravaged by Karasu's torture.

"Are you listening? I said your fox is dying, and it's all because of you. You failed to stop him from becoming that human Hinansho's lover." Karasu whispered, kneeling down next to Hiei, running his nails along the fire-demon's bare back covered in sweat and blood—Karasu loved digging his nails and teeth into his victims' flesh the resulting quiver of pain and fear enticed his lust. Feeling Hiei's limp body, Karasu stood up, bored with his pet—he preferred torturing those who struggled; those who lost the will to fight he detested.

"Only three days, I thought you of all people would last longer—I must've been mistaken." Karasu sneered, his face pointed toward the open window, though he noticed Hiei's flinch out of the corner of his eye. Karasu grinned, knowing how to get the fire-demon fired up. "Only around two weeks ago I had a C-class demon who lasted a week with me, he went out fighting to the last breath." Karasu laughed noticing how Hiei shuddered in anger and wounded pride, though the fire-demon stood lying on the floor. "I wonder how long you fox would last with me now, couldn't be more than two hours with how weak he is."

"You bastard! You wouldn't be able to last half an hour with the fox—his Youko side would be just as cruel as…." Hiei shouted, growling out his anguish, standing on his feet until he realized his error—he had fallen into Karasu's trap, again.

"Hah hah, I knew there was fight left in you. Now let's put that energy to good use." Karasu jumped to Hiei's side in one bound, grabbing the fire-demon before he could resume lying still on the floor. The sadist demon's hands explored every inch of the fire-demon's body, for the twentieth time this day, enjoying the trembling shin as Hiei struggled to control his mounting fear, knowing what was coming and what he had to endure.

It was as Karasu prepared to enter Hiei when the energy signal caught their attention—Kurama's aura had diminished again, this time to a level lower than the weakest human.

"No, Kurama!" Hiei shouted, recklessly pushing Karasu away from him, oblivious to the other demon's angered and bewildered expression. Rushing to the window, Hiei struggled to make his body mover—Karasu desperately held his control over the fire-demon's body through his mark on Hiei's shoulder. "No, let me go!" Hiei roared, ripping at the mark on his shoulder with his nails, desperate to get away from Karasu and to his fox. "Kurama needs me! Let me go or I'll kill you!" Blood spilled from Hiei's shoulder as his nails punctured his flesh—then he used his fire-demon powers to burn his flesh, hoping that he could get rid of the mark that way.

"Stop that." Karasu finally found his voice, the shock of seeing the fire-demon so enraged had dumbfounded him for a moment, but he rushed up to Hiei once he realized what was happening. "NO! Stop that! Stop!"

Hiei roared, flames engulfing his entire right arm—the mark burned and torn off of his shoulder. Karasu's control over Hiei's body diminished completely—the mark was destroyed and so was the spell. Hiei was free.

"Yes. I'm…." Hiei grinned then gasped, shock, fear, and sickened horror striking him—Kurama's aura was gone—not a trace remained. "No…NO!" Numbness spread throughout the fire-demon's body, encasing him in silent despair—Kurama was dead—dead! "No…I'm too late…no…." Hiei fell to his knees, his demon heart devastated and broken, tears falling silently down his cheeks and onto the floor, mingling with the blood already on the floor from Hiei's torn up arm.

Silent gasps for breath were the fire-demon's sobs, tears, mingled with sweat and blood, cascaded out of his red eyes—heartbreaking blank eyes of devastation and despair. No longer would he see or hear his fox again, never again would he have the chance to say to Kurama what he needed to say but hadn't the courage to.

"Fox…no…." Hiei muttered, shuddering at the thought of never being able to experience Kurama's gently soft caress or the feel of a sweet touch of tender lips on his flesh again. "Kurama!" Hiei shouted, utter despair in his tone until his voice broke, his throat sore from the overextending of his vocal cords. His voice broken, gone, Hiei stared at the floor distraught and numb.

"Heh, looks like the fox is a dead bitch now." Karasu sneered, chuckling as he watched Hiei despair, enjoying the pain and anguish in the fire-demon's eyes.

"…." Hiei silently snarled, no sound escaping his lips except a raspy, muffled cry, glaring at Karasu with hatred worse than the deepest hell, shining in his fiery red, cold eyes. Lunging at the laughing Karasu, Hiei sent a fiery set of black flames—his Dragon of the Darkness Flame attack—at the sadistic demon who had kept him away when his fox needed him the most.

Karasu barely dodged that attack but failed to dodge Hiei's next strike—the fire-demon lunged at Karasu, ramming his fist into the bastard's neck, shattering the spinal cord, the shards poking through Karasu's jugular. Blood splattered onto the floor and Hiei from Karasu's shredded neck, the sadist demon's life fading rapidly with each gush of blood.

Covered in Karasu's blood, Hiei stood there until Karasu's aura faded completely, silent in anger, delighting in every moment of torture Karasu went through until death consumed the bastard.

Meanwhile, at the city hospital where Kurama's body lay, a blanket of silent mourning saturated the air—tears were in everyone's eyes and sobs in their throats. Kurama was dead, that strange illness of the curse wrenched his life from him, taking him away from his loved ones.

Shiori sat by the bed, tears streaming down her face, her hand still holding her son's, trembling.

"Shuuichi…." She sobbed, cheeks wet with tears, throat sore from crying—her son, her first born son was dead. "No…." Shiori covered her face with her hands, not wanting to believe it was Shuuichi, refusing to move her hands even when her husband, Shuuichi's stepfather, came to comfort her, holding her in his arms.

In the corner of the room, Karai held Hinansho to his chest, trying to comfort the distraught boy, but Hinansho seemed to not notice anyone in the room, his attention focused on his thoughts.

"No…Shuui-chan…." Hinansho cried in his head, despair whelming throughout every inch of his body. Memories of the week he'd been Kurama's boyfriend flashed through his thoughts—and then memories of a different time pushed their way to the forefront of his mind—memories of a time before he became the human boy Hinansho. Lost in memories only he could view, Hinansho whimpered, tears falling from his eyes as a teardrop-shaped pendant on a string fell from his hands. More tears streamed down his face staring at that dark hued pendant shining red in the light—if only he had shone Kurama that pendant, then the fox-demon would've known who he truly was.

"Hinansho…." Karai began, holding the boy closer to him, but was cut off by Hinansho's harsh whisper.

"Karai…I want you to revive me back into my real body, so I can tract down and kill the son of a bitch who did this to Kurama."

"That won't be necessary."

"Why not?"

"Because Karasu's already dead." Karai replied staring ahead of him at the doorway, studying the figure in the doorway.

"What…who?" Hinansho turned to look where Karai was staring at.

There in the doorway, spiky black hair, red colored eyes glinting with fire, stood Hiei, wearing his torn, black cape and pants, hiding his bruises and cuts under the cloth.

Hiei glared intently at the two huddled in the corner, and unreadable expression on his face, but his attention lingered on them only a moment before turning to the lifeless Kurama lying on the hospital bed. Seeing his fox lying so peaceful looking on the bed, Hiei trembled, stepping to the unoccupied side of the bed touching Kurama's right hand with his left—the heat was already fading from the fox-demon's body. Trembling, the fire-demon fell to his knees, his mouth moving to form words, but no sound escaped Hiei's throat, and, though he was filled with sadness, no more tears fell from his eyes. His sadness was such that he was beyond tears, beyond any expression of the melancholy eating away at his demonic heart.


	9. Saying Goodbye

Standing next to an old oak tree towering over every other tree, Hiei stared ahead of him, numb and oblivious to everything around him. What did he care if all around him nature grew and bloomed a manifold of colors, the wind blowing gently through petals and leafs—each petal on each flower reminded him of his fox, who had died a week ago to a curse that proved a curse even in death. Because of that curse, Kurama couldn't be revived—there was no guarantee that the effects of the curse died with him, and to revive him might just place him back where he had been—dying from that curse's illness.

Even that wretch demon, Karai, couldn't revive Kurama, Karasu had stolen the majority of Karai's power, and now the auburn eyed demon couldn't even revive a human and a demon revival required quite a bit more power than a human one. Unable to figure out a way to revive Kurama, no one warned the fox's human family not to, so Kurama's human body was cremated—so nothing could be done now.

To make matters worse, Hiei's voice hadn't returned, and he refused to let Genkai heal his ravaged right arm or any of his other wounds—he also wouldn't let anybody comfort him. Nowadays he preferred solitude more than ever before, wanting to stay away from anything that reminded him of Kurama—but even standing alone in nature, surrounded by various plants and trees, Hiei was reminded of the fox.

Damn it, why couldn't he have been the one to stop Kurama from being hit by that car? If only he'd prevented the fox from meeting Hinansho—then Kurama wouldn't be dead. Some other foolish victim would've fallen victim to the curse, but Kurama would not have died from it. It was his fault Kurama was dead, even if he hadn't gotten to the fox before Hinansho, Hiei could've went to get Kurama back sooner, but he had been too proud to do so. Now it was too late.

Slowly, ignoring everything around him, Hiei walked through the forest, silent and uncaring about anything until he reached a mountainside cave, the entrance partly obstructed by rock and ruble. Without a word Hiei leaned against the rock wall of the outside of the cave opening, sliding to the ground slowly, numb. Memories of this cave whelmed through the fire-demon's mind, memories of when he and Kurama had come to this cave for shelter from the rain.

Flashback:

It began raining suddenly, the grey, dark storm clouds filling the sky, lightning flashing brilliantly, thunder rumbling through the air and the rain cascading down soaking the two demons thoroughly.

"There's a cave up ahead, we can get shelter there." Kurama spoke, motioning toward the small cave, racing Hiei to the entrance. Reaching the entrance (it was a tie) Kurama sat down just inside the cave, gazing wistfully at the outside, sniffing the rainy air.

"Fox…." Hiei knelt down beside Kurama, moving closer to him so that their lips were only an inch apart. Staring into the fox-demon's green eyes, Hiei ran his fingers through Kurama's long red hair, damp from the rain, bringing his lips to the fox's. Such a sweet, soft kiss, changed into a long intensely passionate one.

"Hiei…." Kurama whispered, feeling the fire-demon's lips on his slender smooth neck, putting his arms around Hiei's neck slowly moving his hands down the fire-demon's back, Kurama gasped as Hiei embraced him with his lips all over, his pale, tender flesh trembling under the fire-demon's wet, hungry lips. End flashback

They made love in that cave, to the rhythm of the pounding rain, the thunder their love song, and the lightning their witness, sealing their union with a demon love bite on both of their left shoulders. But even that great, unbreakable symbol of a demon's love's bond couldn't keep their union solid or whole—Hiei hadn't been ready for a life mate at the time, and so when the pull of the demon world sent for him, Hiei answered the call without a second thought of his union with Kurama.

But now he regretted his actions—if he had stood, Kurama wouldn't have died, nor would he have tried to kill himself before his untimely death a week ago. Hiei blamed himself for both events—for it was his fault—at least partly. Kurama tried to kill himself because he thought Hiei didn't care about him—and if Hiei had shown how much he did think about the fox, Kurama would never have despaired so much over his absence. And now Kurama was dead because Hiei couldn't swallow his uncaring pride long enough to take Kurama before he became Hinansho's lover, the fox would've came back to him—at least Hiei believed he would've.

But parting from the fantasy of 'what ifs' Hiei found himself in the cold, dark reality of life without Kurama—and the poor fire-demon couldn't bear it. Strange, he had lived the majority of his life alone, never relying too heavily on anyone but himself, and never allowing himself to become attached to another, but here he was, unable to envision a life without his fox.

Sitting on a rock outside of the cave, Hiei unsheathed his sword, glaring at the sharp, clean blade, his eyes fiery with intense pathos. No future existed without his fox, he couldn't live without Kurama being there with him—it had taken him over three years to figure it out, but Kurama was his true mate, not just a lover, but the one the fire-demon cared about the most, the one he…loved. And to think it took Kurama's death for him to figure that out.

Removing his cloak, Hiei placed the blade of his sword to the skin of his abdomen—he could no longer have his fox in life, so he'll join him in death.

'No, don't do it.' A silent voice called to Hiei, causing him to gasp and lower the sword—it was Kurama had called to him somehow, someway. However, listening intently for another message, Hiei was disappointed, everything was silent and still, not a thing stirred, and Hiei trembled from quashed hope—it must've been his imagination.

Raising his sword again to kill himself, Hiei winced from a sharp pain from his ravaged right arm and swung on reflex at what touched his wound. The blade sliced through the flesh of a woodland creature, reddish brown fur and lavish full tail, fluffy and elegant. Sheathing his sword Hiei observed his victim, taken aback when he realized what it had been—a red fox, now cut in half by his blade, blood covering the ground where it laid. Numb, Hiei stared at the animal corpse lying at his feet, barely hearing the soft whimpers coming from the underbrush behind the dead animal. Not knowing what he'd find, Hiei pushed away the bush's branches, gasping shallowly at what he saw.

There lying on the ground, whimpering from cold and hunger, was a fox cub, only a few days old by the looks of it and very frightened. Enchanted in some way by the little cub, Hiei continued to gaze at it, realizing that it must have been its mother he had sliced in half—the dead fox must've thought the fire-demon a threat and had attacked Hiei's arm because of it. Whimpering, the small fox cub shivered in a passing breeze, and Hiei took off his cloak and wrapped it around the baby animal before realizing what he was doing.

Watching the fox cub, Hiei sat down on the grass, wondering what would happen to the little one now that its mother was gone—he'd never paid much attention to the lives of the animals living in the forest, and didn't know what would happen.

Faintly Hiei thought about helping the baby animal, remembering when Kurama had rescued a litter of a wild cat that had been killed by hunters from starvation and death, when a sharp pain jolted through his right arm. A pain more intense than anything he ever felt before whelmed through his body from that arm, Hiei could focus on nothing except the throbbing torture—absentmindedly crawling inside the mountainside cave, dragging his cloak along.

Rain began pouring down, beating in a rhythm upon the ground, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Hiei held his right arm with his left, trying to focus on something else other than the pain, realizing after a moment that he had dragged the fox cub with his cloak into the cave. Numb from pain, Hiei studied the fox cub that slept silently wrapped up in the fire-demon's cloak, ignoring the rain pelting down outside the cave.

Feeling a sudden, intense pain pulsating through his body from his injured arm, Hiei flinched, a wave of tiredness washing over him trying to engulf his consciousness. Fighting weakly against the tiredness, struggling to remain awake, Hiei winced from another wave of pain, collapsing into unconsciousness on the floor of the mountainside cave.

Awakening from dark unconsciousness Hiei found that the rain had stopped, and a few rays of sunlight shined through the cave's now blocked entrance—some time during the rainstorm rocks from above the cave had fallen, accumulating up outside the entrance blocking it completely. Realizing where he was, Hiei struggled to sit up, noticing then that he couldn't move his right arm. Turning to look at it, Hiei realized the feeling in that arm was nearly gone—his arm was semi-paralyzed, covered in blood where his wounds had reopened during the storm. These bloody wounds seemed unable to clot and heal, blood kept oozing out, zapping strength from him, and Hiei realized disdainfully how weak he was.

Weakness filled his body—a familiar weakness, the same lack of power that he'd felt around ten days ago when Karasu had temporary changed him into a human. Then Hiei remembered what Karasu had told him about the mark when the fire-demon was his captive—Karasu hadn't undone the spell that changed Hiei into a human, he had only cast another one to restore the fire-demon to his demon form. Karasu was dead now and it appeared the spell had worn off—it took a week and had happened at the worst possible time.

Cursing his luck, feeling it too hopeful to expect the spell that changed him into a human to wear off soon as well, Hiei fell back down onto the cave's floor, barely aware of the voices in the near distance outside the cave.

Unable to call out since he'd strained his vocal cords shouting the night Kurama died, Hiei waited silent in the darkness, hoping to be found, but knowing that there was low chance of that happening. Just as he thought, the voices didn't come nearer to the cave, only stayed where they were, the words indistinct to Hiei's human hearing.

Just when Hiei was about to fall into despair's snare, the fox cub awoke, nuzzled against him for a second, then began whimpering, softly, then louder, yelping incessantly.

'Idiot. Like anyone would hear….' Hiei thought, and then gasped when he heard footsteps heading closer to the cave. 'It couldn't….' However second later, another wave of tiredness his him and Hiei fell unconscious, listening to the incessant cries of the fox cub.

Delicately, light fell upon the sleeping Hiei's face, awakening him from his slumber. Groggy, unsure of where he was, Hiei sat up, noticing that he was on a futon, and that his wounds were healed. One look around the room told him where he was—Genkai's temple; those voices he heard must've been Yusuke's and Kuwabara's and they must've rescued him.

"Had a nice nap, shrimp?" Kuwabara asked entering the room carrying a tray of food in. "It was about time you awoke, everyone was worried about you, you know."

"…." Hiei kept silent, staring at Kuwabara, vaguely remembering what had happened, and wondering what happened to the fox cub.

As though responding to Hiei's unasked question, Kuwabara placed the tray of food down and turned to him, taking out the fox cub from inside his jacket, grinning.

"This little guy was worried about you. He kept yapping until Master Genkai healed you, then he wouldn't leave your bed for the two days you were unconscious. Genkai has been feeding him, and says he might make it—even without his mother." Kuwabara yapped on, surprised at Hiei not telling him to shut up or go away. "Genkai healed your vocal cords too, so you could yell and tell me to leave…Hiei?"

"…." Hiei remained silent, staring at the fox cub, wistful and curiously, and before realizing what he was doing, Hiei took the cub from Kuwabara cradling the youngling in his arms.

"It was lucky this little guy was with you, if Urameshi hadn't heard him yelping we wouldn't have found you." Kuwabara sat down beside the futon, observing Hiei strangely. "Do you know you have a human body now? Was that some spell that…?"

"Kuwabara, I told you to just bring Hiei the food tray, not to annoy him with yakking." Genkai spoke, entering the room and gazing at Hiei with interest, smiling when she saw him holding the fox cub. "I see you're as fond of that cub as he is of you. That little guy saved your life, you know." Pause. "Karai has recovered enough of his power to restore your demon body if you want him to."

"…."

"So what are you going to do with the fox cub? You can start taking care of it yourself if you wish."

After a long pause, in which Hiei looked from Genkai to the cub in his arms, and then back to Genkai, Hiei nodded, petting the youngling gently. Seeing this Genkai chuckled, then stared into Hiei's eyes knowingly.

"So what are you going to name him?" Genkai asked bringing Hiei a container of milk and an ear-dropper to feed the cub, waiting patiently for Hiei to respond.

"…Kurama…." Hiei whispered, kissing the small cub softly on the head.

_So what do you readers think of this story? Should I add more chapters to this story or should I create a separate story that continues this one?_


	10. Message to the Readers

**Important message to readers:**

Chapter nine was the last chapter of this part of the story. To find out what happens next please read the sequel "_Right Here Waiting_" which will also be a total of nine chapters long (At least I plan it to be nine chapters)

And just so you know, I'm thinking about having a part three to the story after completing "Right Here Waiting"

So please read and review the sequel.


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